Getting into real estate and moving from MA to CA. Best advice?

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Getting into real estate and moving from MA to CA. Best advice?

Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes

Hello everyone! I'm 23 and really looking into going into real estate for a career. My grandparents owned properties for many years and my grandmother has been a RE agent for 40+ years so I was always accompanying her to stuff as a kid and I do have an interest for everything. She's still an agent to this day and one of my buddies is a realtor too so I feel like those could be two great mentors to have as I'm getting started and both have said they'd help me.

On the other hand I really want to move to San Diego, California. That's what I want the most out of life right now and being a realtor there is my goal.

Originally I was going to get my license here in MA, work for 12-18 months to get experience and save up money then move out to California but I've had people tell me that I should just save up some money, move out to SD soonish and get a place/job that lets me stay afloat while getting my license there because I'm just going to be starting from scratch when I eventually leave Mass.

I'm starting to consider moving sooner than later because it seems to make more sense but want to hear what others think. Thank you to anyone who offers me some advice!

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David Weintraub

Lender · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 549 votes

9y

California is incredible from top to bottom. No need to live on the east coast unless you have to. San Diego is just one of many amazing places. Go West, young man

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Shawn CouchBusiness Member
Investor · Encinitas, CA · Member since 2013 · 116 posts · 48 votes
9y
If your grandmother still has a decent book of business, you should partner with her and ride on her reputation. Being a Realtor is a tough job and the problem in CA is that everyone you meet/know has 5 or 6 realtors that are relatives, spouses of friends or relatives, etc.
If you do move to SD, start saving. This is a very expensive place to live, and jobs here don't pay that great because everyone wants to be in San Diego, so good jobs don't get turned over too often.
Good luck.
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Nick Kravchuk
Real Estate Agent · San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 23 posts · 16 votes
9y
@Ryan Forget I am also from MA and made the move out to San Diego over 10 years ago to be a Realtor, feel free to PM with any questions you have.
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Christine Kankowski
Real Estate Broker · Temecula, CA · Member since 2014 · 992 posts · 782 votes
9y
Being a realtor is a great job, really is is great. It is tough to get a start, especially if you dont know anyone. Will you be able to work a supporting role for someone for a while to learn the ropes? You may need to sit at a bunch of open houses, show property, etc. but you will learn the lay of te land, the lingo and a bunch of other stuff. If you work for another agent, you can tag along and learn.
The nice thing about SD is the commissions are nice, but the competition is fierce.
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Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Shawn Couch:

If your grandmother still has a decent book of business, you should partner with her and ride on her reputation. Being a Realtor is a tough job and the problem in CA is that everyone you meet/know has 5 or 6 realtors that are relatives, spouses of friends or relatives, etc.
If you do move to SD, start saving. This is a very expensive place to live, and jobs here don't pay that great because everyone wants to be in San Diego, so good jobs don't get turned over too often.
Good luck.
I'm honestly not sure how much business she does these days but I do know she is still working to some degree with her office. It's honestly a really tough and stressful decision making process because I really don't want to stay around MA for too much longer because California was the one place I was truly happy and at 23 I feel like I need to make the move now before the opportunity passes me by.
For someone in my shoes, what would you recommend? Studying for my CA license while saving up and trying to get into a RE brokerage as an office assistant or something in SD seems like it would be a good way for me to get my foot in the door and stay afloat in terms of living costs. I can only hope that I could get good training when eventually going with a brokerage and that they would be able to help me get my career started.
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Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Christine Kankowski:

Being a realtor is a great job, really is is great. It is tough to get a start, especially if you dont know anyone. Will you be able to work a supporting role for someone for a while to learn the ropes? You may need to sit at a bunch of open houses, show property, etc. but you will learn the lay of te land, the lingo and a bunch of other stuff. If you work for another agent, you can tag along and learn.
The nice thing about SD is the commissions are nice, but the competition is fierce.
I would honestly be perfectly happy working a supporting role for awhile just as long as I can stay afloat with living expenses in San Diego. I feel like that is a great way to get started as a realtor, especially seeing as I won't really know anyone once I do make the move across the country. I'm just trying to figure out a solid plan for getting my CA license and getting into RE while being able to take care of living in California.
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Christine Kankowski
Real Estate Broker · Temecula, CA · Member since 2014 · 992 posts · 782 votes
9y
You can also take the classes for the California license online, prior to coming out, so when you arrive, you can find a job as a licensed agent. Even as an assistant with no experience, having the license will show your drive and get you a job.
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Gregory N.
Investor · Vista, CA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 17 votes
9y
Why do you want to move to San Diego?
0 Reply
Eric Anderson
Visalia, CA · Member since 2015 · 97 posts · 44 votes
9y
Ryan...
It sounds like you have a wealth of educational opportunities where you are at. San Diego is not going anywhere soon, so work with those you know who are in Real Estate and earn while you learn from their guidance and instruction.
Also, network with others on BP who live in San Diego so you know people when you arrive in San Diego. It is a hard transition to a new place when you do not know anyone.
Set your course... stay the course... hit your target
Sincerely,
Eric
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David Weintraub
Lender · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 549 votes
9y
Nothing is easy. If you want something go get it. Take those online courses in the meantime. Get a job in a bar/restaurant where youngens go. Establish contacts with people. Maybe learn about house hacking as well? But worse thing that happens is you fail. You won't die (well, not from this at least). Do it. Figure it out as you go.
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Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Christine Kankowski:

You can also take the classes for the California license online, prior to coming out, so when you arrive, you can find a job as a licensed agent. Even as an assistant with no experience, having the license will show your drive and get you a job.
That's what I'm thinking of doing; taking the CA classes online while I'm still living and saving up in MA so once I make the move I'll already have my license and hopefully that will make things easier.
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Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Gregory N.:

Why do you want to move to San Diego?
My cousin/her boyfriend and one of my good friends live in SD and I've gone to visit them a few times. I never wanted to leave because of how happy I was and how much I loved it out there. I honestly miss California more everyday.
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Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @David Weintraub:

Nothing is easy. If you want something go get it. Take those online courses in the meantime. Get a job in a bar/restaurant where youngens go. Establish contacts with people. Maybe learn about house hacking as well?
But worse thing that happens is you fail. You won't die (well, not from this at least).
Do it. Figure it out as you go.
Thank you for the encouragement. I really want to be out in California more than anything. Right now I guess it's just saving up while studying for my CA RE license and then making the move. Down the road I would like to own properties and create passive income off them. My grandparents did that for many years and I know they were successful with that venture. Learning from them is key.
0 Reply
Gary Reynolds
Flipper · Massapequa, NY · Member since 2017 · 14 posts · 11 votes
9y
Happiness starts between the ears.
You can have all the sunshine and palm trees you want, if you can't pay the bills you're just another shmendrik.
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David Weintraub
Lender · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 549 votes
9y
California is incredible from top to bottom. No need to live on the east coast unless you have to. San Diego is just one of many amazing places. Go West, young man
1 Reply
Raquel D.
Investor · Shakopee, MN · Member since 2017 · 102 posts · 60 votes
9y
Hey, this isn't really about real estate but more about personal wellbeing... You mentioned that SD is the one place that you're happy. As a person who's lived in the Midwest, the deep south and CA, my opinion is that everywhere has stuff you love and stuff you'll hate. The grass is always greener on the other side, and I can list as many positive as negative things about anywhere I've lived. Whether or not you're happy really depends on where you are mentally and not where you are physically though. Barring some kind of real locational barrier -- like you live in a place with a really negative overall mindset or there's no economical opportunity or something -- moving just to be HAPPY isn't a great reason to move. I'm not saying don't do it at all. But if you're really hellbent on being there, think about what will make you intrinsically happy about the relocation, not anticipate that the relocation will make you happy just by virtue of being there. Best of luck!!
1 Reply
Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Gary Reynolds:

Happiness starts between the ears.
You can have all the sunshine and palm trees you want, if you can't pay the bills you're just another shmendrik.
Lol I'm trying to be an adult about moving and go out there with an actual plan instead of attempting to wing it.
0 Reply
Ryan Forget
OP
Leominster, MA · Member since 2017 · 8 posts · 0 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Raquel D.:

Hey, this isn't really about real estate but more about personal wellbeing...
You mentioned that SD is the one place that you're happy. As a person who's lived in the Midwest, the deep south and CA, my opinion is that everywhere has stuff you love and stuff you'll hate. The grass is always greener on the other side, and I can list as many positive as negative things about anywhere I've lived.
Whether or not you're happy really depends on where you are mentally and not where you are physically though. Barring some kind of real locational barrier -- like you live in a place with a really negative overall mindset or there's no economical opportunity or something -- moving just to be HAPPY isn't a great reason to move.
I'm not saying don't do it at all. But if you're really hellbent on being there, think about what will make you intrinsically happy about the relocation, not anticipate that the relocation will make you happy just by virtue of being there.
Best of luck!!
I definitely understand what you're saying and where you're coming from. Your message isn't getting lost by any means and I appreciate what you said. It's just after spending my entire life thus far in Mass it's time for me to get out there and experience other things and I feel like I need to do it at this age and not let the opportunity pass me by. San Diego is truly where I want to be.
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David Weintraub
Lender · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 549 votes
9y
Gary Reynolds but you can still surf ;-)
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Gary Reynolds
Flipper · Massapequa, NY · Member since 2017 · 14 posts · 11 votes
9y
You can surf in a wetsuit. The locals prefer Hawaii.
0 Reply
Gregory N.
Investor · Vista, CA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 17 votes
9y
@Raquel D. well said. Big difference between visiting here and living here.
0 Reply
Fabio Salas
Investor · Champaign-Urbana, IL · Member since 2014 · 84 posts · 49 votes
9y
@Ryan Forget I've been in the Marine Corps for 17 years now. Throughout my career I got a few opportunities to spend time in San Diego for work. I always loved and it always hoped I could get stationed there. Last year after 16 years of service I finally got my wish. I absolutely love it. So I completely understand your reason to want to move to SD.
From reading your various posts on this thread it doesn't sound like you're married or have any kids. You're also still extremely young. I don't know if this is sound advice, but I've often heard that your 20s is the time to take risks and make mistakes. I'm not saying you should act recklessly and go ruin your life through a few bad decisions. What I am saying is this, if you want to live in SD and don't have anything tying you down to Mass, then just move as soon as possible. Getting started in a new city without a ton of funds to get you going won't be easy, but if you're a driven person who doesn't give up you'll find a way to succeed. You may struggle financially for a few years, but you'll be in the city you want to live in, and if you pay attention to the little moments of each day you'll find happiness and growth in spite of the struggle.
The last think I'll tell you is DEFINITELY start investing in RE as soon as you're able to. I wish I'd taken the time to become more educated about REI when I was in my early 20s. I would not have left the Marine Corps any sooner, but I would be making a lot more money now through passive investments.
In any case, good luck with whatever path you choose.
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